12 replies to this topic

[Chestne]

Hello i have severe chest acne. I also have some terrible "holes" or scars. Some pictures are attached. I apologize in advance for the ugliness of it all. Please don't expand the picture if u don't think u can handle it.

Btw, i had this chest acnes slowly getting worse for like 6 months, it is very very depressing.

The acne is right between the nips. i need advice to get rid of it. I'm going to be using accutane (or another form of Isotretinoin) soon, but until then i need more advice. its so depressing. maybe olive oil would help? idk it really sucks. sorry for the eyesores, but thanks for any advice. Also anyone ever had acne like this? and if so, could u relate to me and help me understand how to heal/stop it? Thank you. its inflamed and i think these are cysts right?

Also, i believe i got this acne (or some of it from) when i started intensely lifting weights 6-8 months ago. Now i'm a lifting regularly, but i'm very very sure its my genetics that have been the deciding factor here.

hopefully someone has had something like i have right now, and can share their story. but any input is more than welcome. But thanks again and please give any advice on how to get rid of this!

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Edited by Chestne, 12 September 2009 - 01:17 PM.

[Stinky Muldoon]

Well it looks quite inflamed so you definitely need to get your arse to a doctor ASAP. In the meantime, wash it at least once a day with Head and Shoulders shampoo; coat it with Gold Bond Medicated Powder morning and night; do not poke, prod, scratch or pick at it.... and then see what the doctor says. He'll definitely prescribe you something on the spot and (or) send you to see a dermatologist.

As for the scars... worry about those after the acne is under control.

[THX]

Well it looks quite inflamed so you definitely need to get your arse to a doctor ASAP. In the meantime, wash it at least once a day with Head and Shoulders shampoo; coat it with Gold Bond Medicated Powder morning and night; do not poke, prod, scratch or pick at it.... and then see what the doctor says. He'll definitely prescribe you something on the spot and (or) send you to see a dermatologist.

As for the scars... worry about those after the acne is under control.

I'd hold on the accutane - why not try a course of oral antibiotics first?

[Chestne]

Thanks for responding Stinky Muldoon and THX. I didn't give my whole background with medication and antibiotics. I have been applying benzyol peroxide (5%) morning and night for the past two years or more, I have also applied hydrocortisone valerate (.2%) - a steriod used to heal redness - for a short while (about a month ago) with no results seen. and Lastly, i have oraly taken Doxycycline Hyclate pills for a very long time as well. However, in the last 6 months, my condition on my chest has gotten very bad. The wholes u seen on there are from blood spewing out in the shower. i constantly wear band aids incase a swelled up area pops out. the blood is also black and unhealthy looking (sorry for the disgusting thoughts). But its very depressing.

So ya i actually went a to doctor two days ago (I've been to many in the past), he said i'm am definitely qualified to take accutane, and that i should get it from the dermotologist when i go to one on october 23rd. However, that's a long time to wait, and i hate the condition I am in.

Stinky Mudoon - Yes i see gold bond seems to work, by what others say on the forums. How would i apply that? just rub on the power gently every night and morning? thanks for everything btw

THX - U see i have tried the oral antiboitic doxcycline hyclate, is there another one that seems to work well, cause that one does nothing for me . thanks for responding tho!

any more ideas? i'm going to try the gold bond tonight and also some extra virgin olive oil, hopefully that will get the redness to settle down and fade. I'll take ALL the advice and info i can get thank you!

[Homer0001]

1. The red all over my chest is worse than yours. I'm not just saying that. My chest is worse. The difference is that all the red bumps on my chest aren't active acne... they are hypertrophic scars as a result of the acne.
2. Accutane is the harshest so take it last. Other antibiotics could be worth a shot. For example, an antibiotic called Solodyn worked for me for a few months, but then apparently stopped working? I'm now on a doxycycline called Doryx and have yet to see results. If you've only taken Doxycycline Hyclate, it may be a good idea to try something else before going with accutane.
3. Remember, antiobiotics take "6-8 weeks" to work. I've been breaking out lately because I'm less than 6 weeks into my new antibiotic

[Chestne]

Homer0001, I see what ur saying, and thank you for answering. However, my doctor said i should definitely give accutane a try. U think an antibiotic would be worth it. I'm tired of using something for a short fix, although never healing completely, and then not working anymore after a few months.

Does anyone recomend accutane?

Also, do u think the gold bond or extra virgin olive oil would work for my scars to heal?

I hate this acne, its feels terrible, anyone thing gold bond or letting it alone will just go away? i don't think so. honestly i think accutane would work, there's ppl with much less terrible acne who used it and got great results (!) can anyone relate?

[hoursafter]

Accutane would help. If you want something less risky you could go with a benzoyl peroxide bar, Panoxyl makes one that works great for me.

[THX]

Accutane would work. The thing is, your acne is on your chest - not your face. With accutane, you run the risk of having a serious breakout on your face that could (not necessarily would) scar not to mention side effects that will occur on the face (dryness, redness). While your chest is important, Face > Chest. I'd ask your derm this: what is the strongest non-accutane medication combination you can give me for my chest. Maybe switch the oral antibiotic to minocin and add a topical antibiotic.

If that doesn't work, take accutane. If you are desperate, take accutane, but know that there are side effects and risks, ask yourself if they are worth it. For most of us who had acne on the face, the risks were worth it, but if it's on the chest I don't know if I would agree.

[Chestne]

Hoursafter and THX, thank you for ur input. I agree but hoursafter, if i already used benzyol peroxide before (5% cream) for a long time and it didn't do too much, do u think the bar from Panoxyl would do anything more?

And THX - I have a few pimples on my face, but not alot. Do u really believe that taking accutane could make me break out on my face and then give my faces scars??! that sounds very unlikely, and if that does happen, i highly doubt a breakout would laster longer than a 2 months. Do u mean like an allergic reaction? That would be terrible. But a regular breakout idk, anyone else have another opinion. But i appreciate it THX thanks for the information. U think miocin and a topical antibiotic would work for me? Steroids, Antibiotics, and benzoyl peroxide do little to nothing for me. so i feel as tho its not even worth a try.

And, for the record, anyone with chest acne knows how frustrating it is. I understand how face acne can be considered worse. But i am a freshman in college. My pimples are disgusting and kill my confidence. and not just with women. I mean, i want to walk around parties shirtless, and i want to run cross country (everyone on XC runs shirtless, i used too!), and i'm pretty sure women dislike horrible chestne the same amount (if not worse) than facial pimples. However, i'm sorry to complain, but i am tired of not having a clear chest, just like most ppl with their face. I do, btw have some face acne and alittle bacne, but its nothing compared to my chest thats the worst by far.

Anyone else?

[Chestne]

? i guess just try the gold bond, keep taking my Doxycycline Hyclate oral antibiotic, keep the area free of irritation... and then on Oct 23rd get the Accutane. If the other antiobioitcs/meds/topical creams do little, its time for that step. I think its necessary with these pictures is that a good arguement?

[THX]

? i guess just try the gold bond, keep taking my Doxycycline Hyclate oral antibiotic, keep the area free of irritation... and then on Oct 23rd get the Accutane. If the other antiobioitcs/meds/topical creams do little, its time for that step. I think its necessary with these pictures is that a good arguement?

The one last thing I would look into the topical steroid you were using (HC-Valerate is strong stuff). Steroids inhibit your immune response, maybe that is why your acne is so inflamed. Not to mention that steroids can induce acne (http://www.springerlink.com/content/jg64gv8525420x55/ ).

(Edit: I just realized you are not using it any more)

Edited by THX, 16 September 2009 - 09:16 PM.

[Chestne]

ya, i think i should talk to the dermotologist about accutane on my appointment October 23rd. I'm still taking the Deoxycyline Hydrate oral antibiotic right now, and actually i used extra strength gold bond powder the last week on my back/chest/face.

Results with the gold bond extra medicated powder are as follows:

My back, while only having minor acne and few marks, is very close to all clear now, and my face is pretty much the same. However, there's on a very few pimples to begin with on my face. Now as for my chest, the redness is gone and the hole has sealed up. (BUT the redness was probably just caused by my pressure of my fingers pressing out the black blood after the cysts burst, and the bandaids cause alittle redness after taking them off temporarily). My chest has been bleeding less, but who knows, tomorrow could be another terrible day. Anyways, i think some of the red marks have fadded, but not the major ones.

I think I'll take another picture or two soon, but hopefully accutane will make it all disappeared. I actually talked to a young lady through the youtube inbox about her Accutane experience briefly. She has a video of her before and after results with accutane, its pretty impressive and uplifting. She responded to message of mine as well, saying that she saw my forum pictures, that she had similar acne on her back, and that her back is now spotless (!) and her marks are gone. She recommends Accutane, as does my doctor.

Here is a link to her video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.c...0...25A&index=0


Hopefully i will get good results like this (?)

[Ifeelyourpain]

I am a 36 yr old female who has greatly suffered from severe chest acne for about 10 yrs now. It has seriously affected almost every area of my life. I was on Accutane for about 6 mths about 3 yrs ago. It was the best thing for my skin problem that I had ever tried. No initial worsening or anything, just lovely dryness, which can be awesome if u have dealt with oily skin all your life. My skin was really good for over a year and then sadly, the cystic acne returned. I have tried many things over the years for acne, OTC and Rx and nothing has worked like Ziana, a topical gel. Not only does it get rid of the acne, it treats the scars as well! If u r consistent with this product, I believe it works. It is a combo of tretinoin and clindimycan , and I think this is a very powerful and effective combination. Good luck too all , and remember, I feel your pain!